Looking for a research or creative scholarship mentor?

The researchers on this page are actively looking for undergraduates to join their academic efforts.  This is not an exhaustive list of opportunities.  If you don't see anything that fits your goals, contact us to find out what other opportunities await!

MENTORS: Click to post a research position.

How do SSRI's Interact with Maternal Physiology and Offspring Neurodevelopment?

Santillan Lab

We are looking for an undergraduate or post-graduate volunteer laboratory intern to help complete projects related to the prenatal and gestational impacts of SSRI use. Students will be exposed to a variety of wet lab and in silico techniques, including but not limited to evaluating maternal care and depression-like behaviors in mice, brain and placenta dissections and microdissections, animal necropsy, working with clinical samples (human placenta, maternal plasma, cord blood), and molecular techniques (qPCR, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, metabolomics). Students will have opportunities for data analysis, manuscript writing, and presenting. The Santillan Lab is a welcoming, positive environment that encourages creativity, teamwork, and scientific development! Past lab members have gone on to graduate school, medical school, nursing school, dental school, and related training programs.

More Information

How to apply

Contact: serena-gumusoglu@uiowa.edu

Start Date Immediate
Compensation

(Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours)

 

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Developing novel rare cancer models of neuroendocrine tumors, pediatric cancer, and pancreas cancer.

Surgical Oncology Laboratory

We are seeking highly motivated students interested in learning basic and translation science to develop new cancer models and understand tumor metabolism. We highly welcome students interested in pursuing an Honors project on Independent Research or students interested in working as a research assistant during their postbac gap year to apply. Students will be trained to perform drug screening, immuno-fluorescent staining, protein engineering, etc. 

More Information

How to apply

Please send your CV to Dr. Po Ear (pohien-ear@uiowa.edu)

Start Date Immediate
Compensation

Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition)
Academic Credit (1-4 semester hours)
TBD

Hours per week

6 or more hours per week

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position
Listing Period Through June 2024

Learning-Based High-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Multiparametric Quantitative MRI Group

Students are expected to code/run deep learning algorithms to solve specific problems in biomedical imaging.

More Information

How to apply

Please contact Xi Peng at xi-peng@uiowa.edu with CV/resume, interest, and transcript

Start Date Immediate
Compensation

Volunteer

Academic Credit

Hours per week

10 Hours/Week

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position
Listing Period Through Fall 2024

Brain Mechanisms of Learning and Memory

Neuroscience of Learning and Memory Lab

We conduct research on the brain mechanisms underlying learning and memory in humans, rats, and mice. Our experiments involve cutting-edge neuroscience techniques to study how information is learned and stored in the brain. 

More Information

How to apply

Please contact John Freeman at john-freeman@uiowa.edu

Start Date Immediate
Compensation

Volunteer

Academic Credit

Hours per week

10 Hours/Week

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position
Listing Period Until December 15, 2023

Gastroenterology research about muscle layer and mucosa

Kurahashi Lab, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Under the guidance of Dr. Kurahashi, a distinguished physician-scientist in the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology who joined the University of Iowa in 2021, we invite passionate undergraduates to delve into groundbreaking Gastroenterology research. Our team is committed to advancing our understanding of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, specifically focusing on its muscle layer and mucosa. Our ultimate aim is to translate our foundational scientific discoveries into clinical studies, paving the way for innovative treatments for GI diseases.

More Information:

How to apply

Please email your CV/resume to masaaki-kurahashi@uiowa.edu.

Include a brief statement detailing your enthusiasm for our lab and Gastroenterology research, and provide a list of relevant courses and respective grades.

Start Date Immediate
Compensation

Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours)
Pay

Hours per week

Minimum of 10 hours weekly

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position.

Outcomes Research, Health Service & Policy, Biostatistics and Causal Inference

The Tanaka Lab

We welcome applications from undergraduate students at the University of Iowa who are interested in project-based biostatistics.

More information

How to apply Interested students email tomohiro-tanaka@uiowa.edu.
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Academic Credit (1-4 S.H.)
Hours per week

5+ hours/week

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

Neural Mechanisms Underlying Motivated Behaviors

The Flippo Lab

We are looking for undergraduates interested in neuroscience research investigating how the brain influences reward seeking and fear behaviors.

More information

How to apply Please send a resume and a brief description of your research interests to kyle-flippo@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Academic Credit (1-4 S.H.)
Hours per week

8 hrs/week

Mitochondria in cardiovascular disease

Grumbach Lab, cardiovascular disease

We study mitochondria and their role in cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis and small blood vessel disease). We are particularly interested how diabetes and cancer therapies damage mitochondria and hoe this leads to cardiovascular disease. We mostly use cells and mice for our studies, we also do some work in patients.

More information

How to apply Interested students should send their resume to olha-koval@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 S.H.)
Hours per week

10

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position
Listing Period Until December 1, 2023

Human Brain Research and Technologies

Iowa NeuroBank Core, Iowa Neuroscience Institute

This position offers hands-on experience and research skills by working with a human brain bank and associated technologies. You will assist with administrative tasks, research biospecimen collection, microscopic imaging, preparation of reagents and material, analysis of human specimens, and assisting the outreach events and workshops. Must be a current senior with a major in neuroscience, biology, or human physiology. More information.

How to apply Email Queena Lin, li-chun-lin@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate; Near future
Compensation Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 S.H.), to be determined
Hours per week

10

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position
Listing Period Until March, 30, 2024

Human rights in Culture, Religion, Politics, and Law

Souaiaia Lab, Religious Studies

Human rights in Culture, Religion, Politics, and Law; Media Narratives on Armed Conflicts; integrating research materials and primary sources into teaching and mentoring. The research project is interdisciplinary requiring the use of many tools and skills, including large data analysis, digital content creation, preliminary research answering specific research questions, and integration of digital content in classroom teaching. Students with any related skills and interests are encouraged to inquire. More information.

How to apply Email Dr. Souaiaia, ahmed-souaiaia@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate; Near future
Compensation Pay, $15/hr
Hours per week

8-16

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

Physiology of ion transporting epithelia

Thornell Lab, Internal Medicine

Projects within the Thornell Laboratory in Internal Medicine are captured by the question “How do the different kinds of cells work together in an epithelium to orchestrate ion transport?”. More information

How to apply Email Dr. Thornell: ian-thornell@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate; Near future
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit
Hours per week

8-16

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

Understanding novel genes in cardiac and neurological systems and disease

Boudreau Lab, Internal Medicine

The Boudreau Lab is working to discover new genes that regulate healthy heart and brain functions. We are looking for energetic students who are interested in learning advanced techniques to help us with general lab duties.  More information

How to apply Email letter of interest, resume and schedule to Ryan Boudreau at ryan-boudreau@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate; Summer semester
Compensation Pay
Hours per week

~20

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position
Listing Period Until December 31, 2023

Genetic regulation of endoderm development

Lin Lab, Anatomy and Cell Biology

The goal of our laboratory's research is to understand the genetic regulation of endoderm development, which is a germ layer critical for craniofacial structures and the digestive system. We use zebrafish as the animal model.  More information

How to apply Send applications to Dr. Fang Lin.
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit; TBD
Hours per week

8-15

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

Cystic fibrosis - pathologies and therapeutics

Engelhardt Lab, Anatomy and Cell Biology

The Engelhardt Lab focuses on cystic fibrosis disease pathologies and the development of novel therapeutics developed in both industry and academic settings.  More information

How to apply Send resume/CV including relevant classes to Shahab-Fakhari@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit; Pay
Hours per week

8-20

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Diabetes & Peripheral Arterial Disease

Dokun Lab, Endocrinology, Internal Medicine

Dr. Dokun’s lab focuses on understanding how genetic factors and the metabolic abnormalities associated with diabetes contribute to vascular diseases such as peripheral artery disease (PAD). All undergraduate volunteers will be involved in on going research projects.  More information

How to apply See "More Information"
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit; Pay
Hours per week

10-15 hours/week

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position
Listing Period Until September 2023

Neurobiology of alcohol dependence and neurodegeneration

Alcohol and Neurodegeneration Lab, Neuroscience and Pharmacology

Our group is focused on understanding the molecular and circuit adaptations following alcohol abuse and chronic stress that predispose to psychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative disease and infectious disease. More information

How to apply See "More Information"
Start Date Immediate; Near Future; TBD
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit; Pay; TBD
Hours per week

10-14

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Central nervous system control of metabolic homeostasis and sleep-wake behavior

Cui Lab, Neuroscience and Pharmacology

Research projects in our lab aim to uncover the complex brain networks and signaling mechanisms that control metabolic homeostasis and sleep-wake behavior using mouse as a model organism. More information

How to apply See "More Information"
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit; Pay
Hours per week

10-15

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Neurocognitive basis of parent-child interactions and child development

Development, Experience and Neurocognition Lab, Psychological and Brain Sciences

Research assistants will have the opportunity to assist with various lab procedures (e.g., collecting data during child lab visits, data management, and video coding of parent–child interactions). More information

How to apply See "More Information"
Start Date Near future
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit
Hours per week

10

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

 

Cognitive control and action selection

Action, Cognition, & Learning Lab, Psychological and Brain Sciences

The research assistants will be invited to participate in all aspects of psychological research relating to the organization of voluntary action. We are primarily interested in how individuals select their responses as they perform one or more tasks. More information

How to apply Contact Professor Hazeltine
Start Date Spring semester
Compensation Academic Credit
Hours per week

6-9

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Analysis of environmental contaminants in biological samples

Lehmler Lab, Occupational and Environmental Health

We are looking for student research assistants who would like to investigate the role of persistent organic pollutants in adverse health effects. The research project is located on the UI Research Park and involves the analysis of environmental contaminants in biological samples using state-of-the-art analytical tools. More information

How to apply Email Dr. Xueshu Li: see "More Information"
Start Date Immediate; Near future
Compensation Academic Credit; Pay
Hours per week

10 -20 during the academic year; up to 40 during summer, at least one 8-6 hour day

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Development of behavior problems and positive adjustment in children

Developmental Psychopathology Lab

The Developmental Psychopathology Lab conducts research to understand how children develop behavior problems as well as positive adjustment. More information

How to apply See "More Information"
Start Date Spring semester; Summer semester; Fall semester
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit
Hours per week

10 

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Natural disasters, disaster migration, and violent conflict internationally

The Disasters, Migration, and Violence Lab, Political Science

Interested in natural disasters, environmental migration, and conflict? The Disasters, Migration, and Violence (DMV) Lab seeks students interested in learning more about the research process in a hands-on, collaborative social science research group experience. More information

How to apply See "More Information"
Start Date Immediate  Near future
Compensation Academic Credit; Pay; To be determined
Hours per week

5-10hrs

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Cognitive Neuroscience

Wessel Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Neuroscience

Undergrad Research Assistants will run Cognitive Neuroscience tasks with EEG and TMS neuroimaging techniques. No lab experience required. More Information

How to apply See "More Information
Start Date Spring semester; Summer semester; To be determined
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit; To be determined
Hours per week

10

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Dietary and lifestyle approaches to improving quality of life in Multiple Sclerosis

Wahls Lab, Internal Medicine

The Wahls Research lab is interested in the relationship between diet quality and clinical outcomes. Motor function is assessed using timed walk and hand function tests. Vision function, quality of life and blood biomarkers are also assessed. The study Efficacy of Diet on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis is a five year study, completing in 2027.  More information

How to apply Email Mary Ehlinger via ehlingerma@healthcare.uiowa.edu with a cover letter expressing your interests and qualifications, a resume and an unofficial transcript.
Start Date Immediate  Near future
Compensation Volunteer (Optional 0-credit hour course for transcript recognition)
Academic Credit (1-4 semester hours)
Pay is available in addition to volunteer hours
Hours per week

At least 10 hours a week with blocks of time of 3-4+ hours, 2-3 days a week, Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30 pm.

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Uterine endometrial cancer: Molecular mechanisms, targeted therapy

Yang Lab, Pathology

Uterine endometrial cancer incidence (~65,950 new cases/year) and deaths (~12,550 deaths/year) are on the rise. To help endometrial cancer patients and cure endometrial cancer, we need understand the characteristics of this disease.  More information

How to apply See "More Information"
Start Date Immediate; Near future; Fall semester; Spring semester
Compensation Volunteer; Academic Credit
Hours per week

10+, blocks of 4 hours or more

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Sleep disturbance in psychiatric disorders

Neurodevelopment and Psychopathology Lab, Psychological and Brain Sciences

Our focus is on defining the physiological features of sleep disturbances in psychiatric disorders, investigating their relations with symptoms and cognitive deficits, and examining the neural circuitry involved in these sleep deficits. More information.

How to apply See "More Information".
Start Date Immediate; Summer semester; Fall semester
Compensation Volunteer
Hours per week

10

Timeline Ongoing or potential to be continuous position

Social-Emotional Development from Infancy to Adolescence

Child Lab

We study children’s social-emotional development from infancy to adolescence. Students in this lab have the opportunity to work on a longitudinal study to help collect data during laboratory sessions, code behavioral data from videos, and perform preliminary data management.

More information...

How to apply Click HERE to fill out interest form.
Start Date Spring semester; Near future; Fall semester; Summer semester
Compensation Volunteer; Academic credit
Hours per week 9
Timeline

Ongoing or potential to be a continuous position

Gene Regulatory Evolution

Gene Regulatory Evolution (GRE) Lab, Department of Biology

Evolution of stress response gene regulation in pathogenic yeasts

More Information

How to apply Email Dr. Bin He @ bin-he@uiowa.edu
Start Date Fall 2023 Semester
Compensation Pay
Hours per week

2-3 hours per week

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

 

Effect of facemasks on jaw muscle tension

Robotics & Assistive Devices (RAD) Lab

Nerves send signals to our muscles telling them to contract. Sensors like EMG electrodes attached to the skin can read some of these electrical. Our lab is using EMG to study if wearing facemasks effects jaw muscle tension. We are looking for help in collecting the data and analyzing it (using MATLAB) in this human subject study. Join to learn about human research, sensors, and data analysis techniques in biomechanics research!

How to apply Email resume to Dr. Deema Totah (deema-totah@uiowa.edu)
Start Date Immediate or Fall 2023 Semester
Compensation Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours), Pay
Hours per week

Flexible (~20-40hrs in summer, ~5-20hrs fall or spring)

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

 

Molecular basis and gene therapy of cystic fibrosis

Engelhardt Research Lab, Anatomy and Cell Biology

https://engelhardt.lab.uiowa.edu/

How to apply Email weihong-zhou@uiowa.edu with interest to schedule an interview
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Pay
Hours per week

20 hours per week

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

 

Discovery of mechanisms of atherosclerosis regression and identification of RNA Aptamers that bind to specific cardiovascular tissues

Pereira Lab

The Pereira lab studies the role of mitochondrial dynamics and stress response pathways in cardiometabolic health.

How to apply Email jennifer-streeter-1@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Pay
Hours per week

10+ hours per week

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

Obesity, Diabetes, and CVD

Yang Lab, Anatomy and Cell Biology

Our research aims to identify the molecular components of integration between organelle stress responses that are in play in obesity and diabetes at the cellular and organismic levels.

How to apply Email Dr. Ling Yang @ ling-yang@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Pay
Hours per week

flexible

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of Obesity/Diabetes

Yang Lab, Anatomy and Cell Biology

Our research aims to identify the molecular components of integration between organelle stress responses that are in play in obesity and diabetes at the cellular and organismic levels.

How to apply Email Dr. Ling Yang @ ling-yang@uiowa.edu
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Pay
Hours per week

flexible

Timeline Ongoing; Potential to be continuous position

Gut Microbiome Interbacterial Interactions

Bosch Lab, Department of Pathology

The Bosch lab studies how bacteria interact in the gut microbiome in healthy people, and in the context of gastrointestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Our long term goal is to identify and target interbacterial responses important for human disease. We apply a broad range of techniques including metagenomic sequencing, proteomics, bacteriology, genetics, and structural biology. Please see our website for details and ongoing projects.

More Information

How to apply Send e-mail to dustin-bosch@uiowa.edu with CV.
Start Date Immediate
Compensation

Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition)
Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours)

Hours per week

At least 10 hours per week

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Mechanisms by ion channels and transporters mediate transport of ions across cellular membranes

Chowdhury Lab, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

The Chowdhury Lab is interested in understanding how ions and small molecules are transported across the oily cellular membranes. Such processes are not only critical for cellular survival, they underlie the electrical activity of neurons, cardiac myocytes etc. The lab specializes in membrane protein biochemistry and biophysics and uses multi-disciplinary approaches to determine atomic resolution snapshots of protein complexes, mediating these transport processes, at different stages of their function. The long term objective is to stitch these snapshots together to create "movies" of the millisecond dynamics of the proteins to explain how genetic mutations in these proteins lead to pathologies and how small molecule modulators may be used to correct the aberrant dynamics of these proteins.

More Information

How to apply Please email Dr. Chowdhury at sandipan-chowdhury@uiowa.edu. 
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition)
Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours)
Hours per week

Minimum 10 hours per week

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position
Listing Period Open until December 15, 2023

Intestinal immune responses, graft-versus-host disease and the graft-versus-tumor effect

Ince Lab, Department of Internal Medicine

We are open to applications from undergraduate students at the University of Iowa, who are interested in learning basic immunology and participate in our studies on immune regulation of graft-versus-host disease and the graft-versus-tumor effect in preclinical bone marrow transplant models. Bone marrow transplantation is mostly performed to treat a hematological malignancy, such as leukemia or myeloma. Transplantation procedure from donor to recipients also includes transfer of peripheral blood donor lymphocytes, which are critical to maintaining the anti-tumor response (the graft-versus-tumor effect) to prevent the regrowth of leukemia or myeloma. Same donor lymphocytes cause a lethal disease, called the graft-versus-host disease. Our laboratory investigates immune regulatory pathways that play a role in suppressing or preventing the graft-versus-host disease but still preserve the graft-versus-tumor effect. We look forward to working with motivated undergraduate students and prepare them to the next level in their career.

More Information

How to apply Please email M. Nedim Ince at m-nedim-ince@uiowa.edu and include your CV, a short personal statement (maximum 10 sentences) giving details about your past research experience, courses you took and why you are interested in this position.
Start Date Immediate
Compensation Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours)
Hours per week

15-20 hours per week

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position
Apply by September 15, 2023

Understanding the roles of epigenetic changes in breast cancer initiation, progression, and resistance to therapies

Yi Huang Lab, Department of Internal Medicine

The ongoing project in Huang lab is to elucidate how overexpression of histone demethylase LSD1 leads to aggressive phenotype of TNBC and how targeting LSD1 with novel inhibitors overcomes tumor resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapies. We are also studying whether targeting crosstalk between epigenetic modulators and immune compartments could serve as a novel therapeutic approach for poorly immune responsive breast cancer.

All undergraduate students will participate in our ongoing research projects, lab meetings and presentations. Prior biomedical research experience is desired, but training will also be provided. Our goal is to offers the opportunity for undergraduate students to work on both basic and translational science using molecular biology tools and animal models. The trainees will also have the opportunity to publish work as co-author in cancer research journals.

More Information

How to apply Send the inquiry and application to PI's email: yi-huang@uiowa.edu.
Start Date Immediate
Compensation

Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours)
Pay

Hours per week

10-15 hours per week

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position

Experimental fluid dynamics, Naval hydrodynamics, Flow diagnosis

Wang Lab

For undergraduate students who are interested in experimental fluid dynamics, there are several on-going research projects.

More information

How to apply

Email Dr. Cong Wang directly with the title "UI undergraduate research in Wang lab"

Start Date Immediate
Compensation

Volunteer (Optional registration for URES:3992, 0-credit transcript recognition), Academic Credit (1-4 Semester Hours), Pay

Hours per week

At least 10 hours per week, up to 40 hours in the summer.

Timeline Ongoing, potential to be a continuous position.